


A Letter to Mary

by darnedchild



Series: Sherlolly Appreciation Week 2016 [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Sherlolly Appreciation Week, Sherlolly Appreciation Week 2016, Warstan, setting the ground work for future sherlolly, victorian!lock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-25 11:00:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6192415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darnedchild/pseuds/darnedchild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short ficlet for Sherlolly Appreciation Week 2016 - Day Two (Canon Compliant - The Sherlock Special (TAB))</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Letter to Mary

**Author's Note:**

> With any luck this little plot bunny will grow into a separate full length fic of its own someday. Honestly, I don't think Watson is giving Holmes enough credit. Do you honestly think the World's Only Consulting Detective isn't aware of Doctor Hooper's secret? Perhaps he has his own reasons for wanting Doctor Hooper at his side?

My Dearest Mary,

It’s only been a few days since I saw you last, but I feel as if I’ve been forced to endure our separation for far longer. I miss you, my love.

As you may have surmised by my continued absence, my initial hopes that this case would be dealt with quickly and efficiently have been dashed. 

The murder was not, as we had been lead to believe, the sole reason Holmes’ presence had been requested. The murdered man had been in the employ of a foreign dignitary, here on business of a personal nature with his family. I’m afraid I cannot share his name in this missive but I shall, as always, be as forthcoming as I can once we are able to speak face to face.

The death of the employee was only the beginning of our current mystery!

Something very valuable has been taken, something irreplaceable. Holmes has confided in me that he suspects a conspiracy. He fears there will be more deaths before our investigation is through. For once, I hope he is wrong.

Time is of the essence due to the delicate nature of the missing item; as such, Holmes has felt the need to call in outside assistance.

Mary, you will not believe what that man has done now.

We have spoken before of my suspicions regarding Doctor Hooper. As of yet, Holmes has shown no signs that he too knows of Hooper’s true nature, and his actions of two days ago confirmed what I long suspected. Holmes is completely unaware that Hooper is a woman.

He insisted that Hooper accompany us as on our travels to aid in certain aspects of our investigation. I did remind him that I am a doctor, first and foremost, and fully capable of providing medical knowledge where needed; but Holmes insists he requires the expertise of one who routinely works with the deceased. To paraphrase Holmes--I am too focused on preserving life, whereas Hooper is trained to preserve the information gleaned from the dead.

There had been no reason to protest the doctor’s involvement until it became apparent that first night that we--as three gentleman endeavouring to attract as little attention as possible to our efforts on behalf of our client—would be traveling in sparse accommodations. 

Under normal circumstances I would never consider sharing sleeping quarters with a woman other than my beloved wife; but I could not, in good conscious, leave Doctor Hooper and Holmes to share a room unsupervised, regardless of Holmes’ ignorance. Nor could I insist that Holmes and I sleep in the carriage house without the risk of exposing Hooper’s secret. 

Somehow Doctor Hooper and I have managed to retain the minimum standards of propriety amongst the three of us, but it has been a difficult thing. Holmes has been most aggravating with his usual disdain for things he has deemed unimportant. The things he has said in Doctor Hooper’s presence in regards to the blackguards involved in the disappearance and murder were certainly not appropriate for mixed company. If he continues to interact with Hooper in the same comfortable fashion as he has grown to interact with me over these last few years, then I shudder to think of what might happen.

We leave for the countryside on the morrow as Holmes and Hooper have finished their examination of the corpse, and the evidence leads us onward. 

I do not know when I shall return, my love, but trust that I shall think of you daily and hold your memory to my heart each night.

Your faithful husband,

John


End file.
